Fountain toothbrush



July 25, 1950 c. H. FlNToN i FOUNTAIN 'roo'rHBRUsH Filed Dec. 4, 194s Patented July 25, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE e i 2,516,195 if FOUNTAIN TooTHBRUsH charmsv H. Finton, chicago, 111. Application December 4, 1946, Serial No. 714,100

Claims.

This invention vrelates to improvements in fountain toothbrushes. v.More particularly, this invention relates to improvements in. toothbrushes and toothbrush attachments. It relates to toothbrushes of the kind that are used in combination with liquid supply, and commonly known as fountain brushes. t

The invention presents a simple yet positive means of detachably securing a fountainv element to a toothbrush. It avoids disturbing the liquid connection in interchanging brushes.

whereby the liquid is conveyedthroughv a tube from the member having a tube which extends through the handle into the ,brush head.

At its end in thebrush head, the tube has apertures for the supply of liquid to the brush. Also, the construction of my invention has improved means for easily and efficiently connecting the said tube to the brush handle.

Naturally, everyone has his own toothbrush,

and no one wantsto use the brush kof another. The means of my invention provide for easily taking orf the brush of-oneperson and quickly substituting the brush of another person, and still maintaining leaf-proof communication with the source of supply. My arrangement for connecting the brush handle to a source of supply, or from the member, involves a unique construction for enabling quick changes *.tobe inadefr'om one brush to another, while maintaining the same leaf-proof condition. In short, the liquid supply tube is encircled by a cylindrical portion.

This cylindrical portion has a spiral spring in the preferred form. The cylindrical portion also has a key, and there is a groove in the end of the brush handle. This groove is brought in registry with the key, and the handle is pushed in the cylindrical portion against the spring, until the key cornes to the end of the slot of the groove, when the handle is turned in an angular direction.

This results in the brush handle being securely held in the cylindrical portion, with the spring pressing against the end of the brush.

Other objects and advantages will appear and be brought out more fully in the following specication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the fountain brush.

Fig. 1a is a perspective view of the rinsing device.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the fountain brush head.

Fig. 3 is a plan view oi' the rinsing head.

. 2 Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal section illustrating the connection.

liig.v 5 is a transverse sectional `view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view on the line 6--6 of Fig. 3. v

, Referring to the drawings in detail, in which I have shown the preferred form for the purpose of illustrating the principle of my invention, I have shown a brush AIlLhaving the usual shank Il, brush head I2, and bristles I3. The toothbrush of my invention yhas means Extending through the shank to the brush head is a bore I 4 for a tube I5, having openings I6 in the brush head area.

The tube, in the form shown, is exposed inthe area of the brush head, so that it can be provided withthe operative water-exuding openings.

The water may be supplied from a hose connection I'I with a faucet. v l

A standard hose connection I8 has a` cylindrical extension' I9, having a spring 20.

Also provided on the inside of the hose extension, is a projection 2| which isadapted to cooperate with a slot 22, having ran ori-set 23, in the handle II. f, f

Thev tube I5, inl the formshown, is mounted in and is rigid with the connection I8. y Y f `Whenit is desired to connect the source of supply ,l to the shank, the pin 2| is brought into registrywith the slot 22, and the shank is-telescoped in the cylinder, compressing the spring 20; and the cylinder is rotated on the shank to turn the projection or pin into the oif-set portion 23, to lock the two together.

The supply may be then turned on, and the device is ready for operation, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

For rinsing after the brush, I have provided a rinsing device consisting of a shank 24, having a massaging head 25.

The shank 24 is provided with a slot 22 similar to the slot 22, having an oir-set 23' similar to the oiset slot portion 23, for locking with a source of supply by means of the stud 2| in substantially the same manner as described in connection with the brush IIJ.

The shank has a bore 26, leading to the massaging head.

The massaging head has an upward extension 21, which is adapted to snugly receive an attachment 28, which may be of rubber or other pliable material which will not injure the gums, and yet permit as vigorous massaging as desired.

The attachment may be provided with ribs 29, if desired.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variation and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A fountain toothbrush or similar implement comprising: a perforated head, and anelongated handle secured to said head and provided with a passage extending from the outer end of said handle, through said handle, and communicating with said perforated head; a tube of substantially rigid material, adapted to communi-` cate with-a source of liquid and to be extended into said passage, and to communicate with said perforated head; a socket member, substantialb,1 rigidly connected to said tube, 'contoured for' the snug reception of the outer end of said handle; and means carried by said socket member and said handle for connecting said socket member and said handle, said means including a bayonet joint, and a spring encased within said socket member and adapted to bear between said socket member and the end of said handle.

2. An attachmentfor a toothbrush or like implement having a handle with a passage theren through comprising: an elongated tube adapted to enter said passage, a tting adjacent one end of said tube for connection with a source of liquid, an enlarged socket member rigidly secured on said tube spaced from the opposite end of said tube and opening toward said opposite end for the reception of said handle, and fastening means carried by said socket member detachably i engageable with complemental lfastening means on said handle.

3. A fountain toothbrush or like implement, comprising a hollow head and a hollow handle communicating therewith, an L-shaped bayonet slot in said handle, a tube extending into` said handle, a Socket rigidly secured on said tube and adapted to receive'the end of said handle upon extension of said tube thereinto, and a stud in said socket adapted to securingly engage in said bayo- 4 net slot upon reception of said handle in said socket and relative rotation of said handle and socket.

4. A fountain toothbrush or like implement comprising a hollow head and a hollow handle communicating therewith, an L-shaped bayonet slot in said handle, a tube extending into said handle, a socket fixedly secured on said tube and adapted to receive theA end` of said handle upon extension of said tube thereinto, a stud in said socket adapted to securingly engage in said bayonet slot upon reception of said handle in said socket and relative rotation between sald handle and socket, and a spring in said socket positioned to be compressed by said handle end upon insertion thereof in the socket and to exert pressure thereagainst for maintaining said stud and bayonet slot in engaged relation.

5. A fountain toothbrush or the like, comprising a passaged implement having an aperture adjacent one end and a bayonet slot having a closed end at theother end, a tubular member adapted to enter said passa-ged implement and having an opening adjacent its entering end registrable -with saidv aperture, a socket rigidly secured on said tubular member adapted to receive said other end of said implement, and a stud carried'bysaid socket for connecting engagement in said slot, `the relative peripheral positioning of said op'ening'and stud corresponding to that of said aperture and the closed end of said bayonet slot for registering said aperture and opening upon engagement of the stud at the closed end of said slot.

" CHARLES H. FINTON.

REFERENCES CITED Theiollowing references are of record in the le ofv this patent: 

